Guiness-braised corned beef with vegetables

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Total time: 4-6 hours (in a slow cooker)

Corned beef

• 2 bottles (11.7 ounces each) Guin-ness beer (or other stout beer)
• ¼ cup dark or light-brown sugar
• 3 ½- to 4-pound uncooked brisket for corned beef, rinsed well and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice or packet from corned beef
• 1 small onion, peeled, cut in half
• 1 head garlic, halved

Vegetables

• 1 small head savoy cabbage
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 5 carrots, peeled, cut into ¾-inch chunks
• 1 pound of red-skinned potatoes, cut into ¾-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced fresh parsley

Directions

In a slow cooker, whisk together the beer and brown sugar. Add the brisket; it should be completely covered by the beer. Add the pickling spice, onion and garlic. Cover and set on high. Slow-cook for 4 to 6 hours or until the corned beef is tender. Remove the brisket to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Discard the onion and garlic, and strain the liquid. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges. Use toothpicks to hold wedges together. In a separate large, deep skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cabbage wedges and cook until browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Add in the carrots and potatoes.

Pour in the reserved cooking liquid, bring to a simmer and cover. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes. Use tongs or a large spoon to carefully remove the cabbage and reserve. Con-tinue cooking the carrots and potatoes another 5-10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the cooked vegetables to a plate.

Whisk the butter into the remaining cooking liquid in the skillet. Slice the corned beef against the grain and serve with the cabbage and vegetables. Pour a bit of the sauce over the corned beef just before serving. Garnish with parsley.